WO 99/55999 discloses such system wherein the tube forms a wellbore casing which stabilises the borehole wall and prevents collapse of the borehole.
A drawback of the known system is that the collapse resistance of the tube, when in the expanded mode, is lower than conventional tubular elements without hinges.
In accordance with the invention there is provided a tubular system arranged in a wellbore, comprising:
an outer tube extending into the wellbore and having a wall with at least one section of reduced bending stiffness, each section of reduced bending stiffness defining a hinge allowing the outer tube to move between a collapsed mode in which the outer tube has a relatively small cross-sectional size and an expanded mode in which the outer tube has a relatively large cross-sectional size;                an inner tube extending into the outer tube and having a wall with at least one section of reduced bending stiffness, each section of reduced bending stiffness defining a hinge allowing the inner tube to move between a collapsed mode in which the inner tube has a relatively small cross-sectional size and an expanded mode in which the inner tube has a relatively large cross-sectional size;wherein, when said tubes are in their respective expanded modes, the inner tube supports the outer tube and is oriented in the outer tube such that each hinge of the inner tube is circumferentially displaced from each hinge of the outer tube.        
By virtue of the staggered arrangement of the respective sets of hinges it is achieved that each hinge of the outer tube is arranged opposite a section of the inner tube of full wall thickness, so that inadvertent/ unintentional bending of the hinges of the outer tube (when in the expanded mode) is prevented.